Pentagon Halts Effort to Take Back Guard Enlistment Bonuses

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Wednesday ordered a suspension in efforts to seek repayment of thousands of enlistment bonuses and tuition assistance mistakenly paid to members of the California National Guard.

"While some soldiers knew or should have known they were ineligible for benefits they were claiming, many others did not," Carter said in a statement, adding the system needed to reviewed.

"This process has dragged on too long, for too many service members. Too many cases have languished without action. That's unfair to service members and to taxpayers," he said. (Reporting by Phil Stewart)